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HAAB Minutes 02/24/2011 Hispanic Affairs Advisory Board February 24th, 2011 RECEIVED APR 2 8 2011 ROFlFj of County ('..ommissJoners 6:00 p.m. / Fiala ~~^ Hiller . Henning ^ Coyle ~ Coletta '-... Collier County Boardroom - Building F Members Present: Chairman Mario Ortiz; William Forbes; Manuel Gonzalez; Ileana Ramos; Valaree Maxwell; Renato Fernandez. Members Absent-Excused: Alejandro Balan, David Correa and Zetty Rivera. Others Present: Tatiana Gust, HAAB staff liaison; Cristina Perez, Code enforcement representative. Call to Order: Chairman Mario Ortiz called the meeting to order at 6:03, noting that a quorum was established. Approve the Meeting Agenda: Renato Fernandez motioned to approve the agenda, seconded by Bill Forbes. The motion was carried 6-0. Approval of Minutes from the Meeting of January 27'h, 2011: Bill Forbes motioned to approve the minutes, Ileana Ramos seconded. The motion carried 6-0. Guest Speaker Cristina Perez - Code Enforcement Representative Cristina is a Code Enforcement Supervisor for the Golden Gate Estates District. She has been with the county for 8 years of which 7 Y, have been with code enforcement. Cristina provided an overview of the programs that Misc. Corres: 5 districts for Collier County Date: LOb..~\ I Item #: \ ui:r::. \ 'fT I ~l. The weed and litter ordinance is applicable at the Golden Gate Estates Renato: Do you have the same program around other areas? Because ~= ~"WJS to Mario: Do you have a description of the Blaine program Cristina: Has a power point presentation and she can come to our next meeting and show it to you. There are other program. They go two weeks before the even t and provide flayers and do a meet & greet and door to door letting customers know of what is available to dump for free. This is a county wide program. Mario How do you educate the Hispanic community about these topics? Cristina: they distribute "common Violation" f1ayers in Spanish and they also have personnel that speaks Spanish, if someone need assistance in Spanish the investigator reach to someone within the code enforcement to translate. The first tag that they leave at the houses are in English and Spanish Ileana: How often the investigators go and check violations, are there banks that are more difficult than others? They go every day but the investigators have to investigate and contact and if there is an owner. There are sometimes when there are no calls at all and some other communities call constantly. Manny: Is there a pattern that has developed to certain code? Have you done statistical data about it? No they don't have statistics about it. Manny: Stay ong within the Hispanic community that they ignore or they don't respond promptly? Or they respond promptly? From her experience more than the 50% og the Hispanic wants to get in compliance. They want to comply but sometimes they have the constraints of money. Sometimes they buy a property with unpermitted structures that they were not aware of it. Manny: They are many people that have not been naturalized and yet they live in precarious conditions. Where does morality comes into place versus code enformcenet because you know that is not safe for them? They have to enforce the code, they talk to the owner and the tenants to let them know what the situation is. They also advise the property owner what they need to do to come into compliance. Manny: Years ago he conducted an investigation in Manatee. He did not know how they were getting water or electricity. If you stay out for few minutes the moskitos will eat you away. The kids were bitten up and down. He got a sheriff and got to code enforcement, and a week later was in the news. What do you do? Property Maintenance inspectors that regulate the housing situation. They have emergency meeting in the special magistrate. There is many times the owner is willing to correct the issues. Now if the entire structure is unpermitted then is another issue. Manny: So the code does not apply to the environment like moskitos? Not outside, but yes it has to be done inside like roaches, rodents, etc. They can work with the mosquito control. Manny: Is there responsibility of the county then not the property owner? More or less Renato: What is the definition of a bedroom? Explanation. Manny: transfer houses, the smugglers use this spaces as bedrooms for people that they get into the county. This buildings are not designed as housing. Renato: in New York a bedroom has to have a window or a door We get a lot of these converted where they installed a dummy wall and converted into living space. Manny: His family has a portion of the garage converted in the garage Cristina: there is a limit in the number of occupants for residents. Basically 250 for the first person and then 200 sf per each additional person. Grow house after the sheriff has cleared it, and come into compliance for all the changes made without a permit. Mario: The Hispanic community and code enforcement? Are you working in any program to brake the language barrier? Cristina: She wanted to reach the Hispanic community, so many of the information that provide is in both English and hispanish. Mario: Tell us about of the reciclying of the tires. In a meeting today will be a titring round up sponsored by the State from Friday to In march 14 In eagle park and Max. 52" tire, no more than 25 per household and dumped in the special areas for free. There is information in radio Spanish program, and in Univision and gator country. They are really trying to reach to the Hispanic community. She wiil be back next month with the power point presentation and the bake program. She offer help to distribute information. FDLE, you can contact the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Or call to the number and they can help you directly. New Business Law enforcement report by Manny Gonzalez Office of professional regulation, they have a civilian team to oversee that they conduct their business as indicated by the state law. Florida is very concern on the rights of the citizens and the desempeno of the sheriffs. One of the reasons we are involved as representatives is that we monitor how the sheriffs reacts to Hispanics deteneed and how Hispanics detenees deals with the sheriffs office. At the last meeting the liteanen Righard Givens brough up some issues: -who is prb and what they do 'when should I file a complain What happen when I file a complaint Will be repercussions from the deputy There is a public perception of the code enforcement personnel of confrontism. Asaults to deputies increased by 40% in 2010, so deputies have to hope for the best when they stop someone. Any complaint will be investigated in accordance with the Florida Statutes. All investigations will be investigated. The civilian team to make sure is that the disposition of these cases are in compliance with the law. Manny provides an example of what the deputies do when they received a complaint. And how the customer reacts to the investigation. Lieutenant can make calls if to keep investigating or not. If someone makes a complaint against the deputy there is an investigation by the sheriffs office and they make a decision in accordance to the normal procedures. After a decision was made the OPR does an investigation and make sure that the decision was appropriate. There is another level that if the deputy is found gilty they case are sent to talahassee for review and they may preclude them to get another job in the states in law enforcement. Most of the complaints are when the deputies are off duty. They have to be professional 24/7 365 days a year. Their conduct have to moral and in compliance with their job at all the times. During an investigation all the deputies are obligated to produce a statement. They cannot be in violation of the code or state code. FS 119 allows you to view any disposition of deputy misconduct throughout the state. Ileana: The public can access the information about a particular sheriff that you want to look up their records? For information about Collier County you can call 793-9309 Members and Staff Comments Meassure of success will be to bring an action item to the BCe. There were several ideas in last meeting but before than they move forward, he saw things within the minutes that they should be careful about things that they say in the meeting. Some of these statements are incorrect, all of the members are Hispanic and this does not apply to all of the Hispanics. They should be more careful in how things are expressed. Renato: Everyone would like to hear what the feeling is, you want to hear the truth and the way that people sees and express things. Mario: There are ways that can be expressed differently. Discussion in regards to Hispanic descendants and what they go through. The Hispanic has the largest minority community still behind in education. Statistics shows that statement made during the last meeting is true. Members shall be able to express what they feel. This is a fact in this community. Haitians try to learn English. How do we bring the horse to the water. How to we make the parents understand that if they don't get education who is going to run this country. Valaree gave us additional information about the young member Jesus that wants to finish high school and she has helped him. Bill was struck by the need of language and education. Friends of the library. He is in charge of the group called round table that consist of the Hispanic that is already working in the public libraries. There are good programs being offered, but there is not continuity. As friends of the library they want to bring more awareness and having more material in Spanish. They are building trust within the library within the community. What are the primary types of books seek when they come to the library. They give him 4 areas: " Foreign language - English " Langauge acquisition " Citizenship " Medicallssues " Computers With this information Bill request funds to buy additional material related to these subjects and he was authorized $10,000 to replenish these topics. The library is a good secular part of the community is trying to respond to the needs of the community. What is the target area? What is the purpose? People in the Hispanic community to help them to progress. The friends of the library will not ask about citizenship. This still perpetuing the problem. As taxpayer they will like to know that they are legal or not. These books are in Spanish? Most of them are in Spanish and some in English The general Hispanic community does not know what the library offers. Attempt to educate. In order to get a card you have to show your ID. Mario has the Idea of presenting different topics to the community. If we want to do a presentation we need to present it to the commissioners to get their blessings. The idea has to be developed before present it. They may be able to get the Naples Chamber of Commerce to help with the initiative. Additional people needs to get involved, they can get fundraisers for education or any other items that the community may need. Better web presence was requested by the Ileana and we already have some. Additional she will try to reach other media for information. Valaree will see turn the web on to get people involved and she will let the board members know. Tatiana comments: Sunshine law Offered conference room at Growth Management division. Adjourn: Motion to adjourn made by David Correa to adjourn the meeting at 7:54 p.m, second by Ileana Ramos. The motioned carried by a group vote of 7-0. Next Meeting: The next meeting of the HAAB will be held on February 24th, 2011 at 6:00 p.m. at the Board Room. ;tf aPv a-t "3 '-- ZCf ~ ~(O Chairman, Mario Ortiz Date